With citizens asking to see the results of environmental tests conducted at the 10 Dixon Avenue site where the Woodstock Library seeks to find a new location, library trustees on April 18 released raw figures that appear to show no volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, arsenic or lead in excess of state limits at the proposed site.
Zinc was found in excess of limits, but it was 18 feet underground. Library trustees, however, believe this will not have any impact if no excavation is done in the area.
Groundwater tests found aluminum, iron and manganese at excess levels.
“These metals are naturally occurring and we believe that high levels are due to background levels in the area,” the library said in its news release. The library is still waiting for a final report that will interpret the results.
The library has proposed to purchase and move to the former Miller/Howard Investments headquarters in Bearsville. Trustees have set May 10 as a bond vote, asking Woodstock citizens for permission to borrow $3.95 million to purchase the building, renovate it and move into it. Critics have questioned the push for a bond vote amid unanswered environmental questions. The library board has responded that the vote cannot be delayed because it is up against a June 30 deadline to purchase the building.
An initial environmental review uncovered testing conducted in 2012 that revealed elevated levels of lead and arsenic, a burn pile, dry wells and a septic system of unknown condition. The library commissioned an environmental firm to conduct an updated review and make recommendations for remediation.
The results and details of the proposal to move the library will be discussed at an upcoming information session via Zoom on April 20 at 7 p.m. and in-person at the Mescal Hornbeck Community Center on April 27 at 7 p.m. It will also be discussed at the library board meeting April 21.
The raw numbers are available at https://bit.ly/36pH1et.
Library board president Jeff Collins said at an information session April 14 that raw numbers were meaningless without interpretation and he would wait until the engineering firm drafted a report. Collins sparred with members of the public, who insisted on seeing the test results ahead of the report.
At that meeting, Collins said the firm has received the test results, but that he was waiting for the report. “I have not looked at the results of the testing because they will be meaningless to me. They’re just numbers,” Collins said on April 14. “So we will be getting the report from the environmental consulting company, within I believe a week. So we’ll have that soon. That will determine what we do next,” Collins said.
Collins also said that the Library and the taxpayers would not get stuck with a big environmental cleanup invoice.
“I want to assure everyone in the community, that we will not assume a liability if the environmental stuff does not come back in a way that works,” he said. “I can assure the community that we will not ignore the environment. This is very important for what we’re doing here. The reason that we’re doing this testing is to make sure that we as a library, are being responsible to the community.”
Still, some insisted on seeing the numbers.
“So you’re saying the current version of information you have is not something you want to post,” asked Gay Leonhardt.
Collins said the firm is processing the results and analyzing them.
But Leonhardt said she finds it frustrating because of the upcoming May 10 bond vote.
“I find it frustrating too that we don’t have something we can post right now, but that’s how long it takes to do these things,” Collins responded.
“I’m just saying,” Leonhardt countered, “given that we’re talking about a major potential liability or a minor issue that doesn’t matter at all…The scale is very big. It’s everything from slightly elevated to really bad. And the public is moving toward a vote, not knowing whether the issues of liability are severe or very minor.”
Collins said the report will be available in time for the bond vote. “We’re not going to go into a bond vote not knowing the environmental situation we’re getting into. That would be silly,” he said. “I will not go to a bond vote unless I know the liability that the library will face.”
Hera, a longtime library critic, expressed concern about the lead and arsenic in the ground that is above acceptable levels.
“I think that is a big, big, big concern, particularly since it’s all of our children who are going to be in this area. And if in fact, you find out that the septic tank is not adequate for the use of the library, and all of that has to get dug up, will all of that flow toward the aquifer for Woodstock and create a Superfund site? it is a big issue,” she said.
Hera also emphasized the need to have the test result numbers to make an educated decision.
“We can hire our own engineers to find out what the numbers mean, we don’t have to just rely on the ones you’re using. And it does need to be transparent,” she said. “It does need to be made public because reports have already stated the lead and arsenic are very high levels.”
“I’m going to wait for the report because the numbers are not something that is meaningful to me or to anyone on the board,” Collins responded.
Hera said withholding the numbers was not being very transparent. Collins responded that he didn’t need attacks.
“Clearly, you have some issues with what we’re doing. You’ve always had issues with what we’re doing,” Collins said. “We are working the best way we can work to get this done as responsibly as possible. Part of that is to understand what the environmental issues are in a responsible way, with engineers telling us what those numbers mean, and how to resolve whatever issues happen to be there…You can call me up. You can you can send me an email. You can talk to me directly. I welcome your comments and your concerns. I am a responsible member of this community. So talk with me about things. Okay, don’t attack me in a public forum.”
Longtime library watchdog John Ludwig also pressed for release of the test data.
“I don’t know why you say the numbers are not meaningful. I think the numbers are very meaningful. We’ve been reading the Phase One report. We’ve been looking at the numbers,’ Ludwig said. “If you could get the numbers to us, they will be very meaningful. As soon as you could get those numbers out, even if it’s not with the report, just the test numbers would be important to get to us. And if it shows that there’s not a concern, then of course it’s to your benefit to get those numbers to us to show that.”
Woodstock Town Supervisor Bill McKenna said he was encouraged by the test results and noted that nothing has raised alarm bells when it comes to the town water supply, which is nearby. Yearly drinking water reports are available on the Water and Sewer Department page on the town website at woodstockny.org. The direct link is https://townwoodstock.digitaltowpath.org:10111/content/Departments/View/3.
Registration for the April 20 information session is at https://bit.ly/3vFzssX.
To register for the April 21 board meeting, go to https://bit.ly/3Md53Zl.
An in-person session will be held April 27 at 7 p.m. at the Mescal Hornbeck Community Center, 56 Rock City Road. No registration is required.
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